With NHS contracts for Picture and Archiving Communication Systems (PACS) expiring in 2013, healthcare IT leaders contemplating the future of their PACS environments can join BridgeHead Software to explore how VNAs can improve their Electronic Patient Record infrastructures

Ashtead, UK – Wednesday 1st June – BridgeHead Software, a leader in healthcare data and storage management, is hosting a series of lunchtime seminars at the UK Radiological Congress 2011 to present an alternative view of what a Vendor Neutral Archive (VNA) is and explain how VNAs can help the NHS. The ‘VNA Redefined’ Clinics, which will take place daily at the Manchester Central Convention Centre on June 6 – 8 at 12:15 – 13:15, will explain how VNAs can help the NHS improve the cost, protection, security, interoperability and management of their medical images, Electronic Patient Records and administrative files.

Within the seminar, BridgeHead Software will outline some of the key characteristics of a VNA as well as exploring the challenges PACS owners are looking to solve. BridgeHead will also demonstrate that data protection should not be considered separately from the VNA, but rather as an integral part of it.

Furthermore, BridgeHead will share their view that vendor-neutral archiving is not exclusive to medical images. Although the term ‘VNA’ is often used to describe the sharing and accessing of diagnostic imaging data across different systems, BridgeHead points out that other clinical and administrative data would also benefit from being in a controlled and regulated archive.  BridgeHead believes a true VNA includes the vendor-agnostic storage and management of all data across the entire hospital, including emails, spreadsheets and all other patient and administrative information.

Jamie Clifton, Director of Product Management, BridgeHead Software, said, “BridgeHead’s ‘VNA Redefined’ Clinics present a great opportunity for radiology leaders to explore how diagnostic imaging fits into the bigger picture of healthcare IT. With 2013 looming, and the contracts for the National Programme for IT ending, many NHS trusts and private hospitals are currently evaluating their options regarding their future PACS environments.”

Clifton continued, “Healthcare IT leaders in this position often come across the term ‘Vendor Neutral Archiving’. My opinion is that a true VNA will take into account the storage and management of all data across the entire hospital, rather than focusing solely (or primarily) on the sharing and accessing of images and associated information. An NHS trust has many sources of data, all of which need to be accessed, managed and protected in a consistent fashion. The way forward, in my opinion, is to reduce costs and increase efficiency by investing more in multi-use technologies to facilitate sharing, compliance requests and disaster recovery all in the same technology bed.”

A buffet lunch will be provided for all attendees. Reserve your place now by emailing [email protected] with your contact information as well as the contact details of anyone you would like to bring with you. Please specify the date of the VNA Redefined Clinic you wish to attend in the subject line of your email. BridgeHead will, by return, send you a calendar invitation to secure your place/s.

BridgeHead Software will be exhibiting at UKRC 2011 on Stand 211. If you would like to secure a meeting with BridgeHead at the event, please email [email protected].

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